Excessive recoil can cause discomfort and flinching upon subsequent shots. Additionally, the recoil can cause muzzle climb resulting in more difficult sight realignment. Conventional handguns utilize a one piece slide which travels rearward, sending the momentum of the recoil force rearward. This momentum is generated after firing of a round. The slide is carried rearward the full distance needed to extract and eject spent casings and to chamber a fresh round from the magazine. Thus all of the recoil generated by movement of the slide is transferred into the web of the users hand. This movement and weight transfer above and to the rear of the hand, combined with the effect of the projectile exiting the barrel at about the same time, causes the muzzle end of the firearm to rise dramatically. This is known as muzzle climb, and requires the user to readjust the firearm for subsequent shots.
Referring to FIGS. 1A-1C there is shown a handgun according to the prior art. The handgun 10 has a handle portion 11 a slide 12 and muzzle 13. Upon firing the handgun 10 a projectile leaves the muzzle 13. The recoil results in the slide 12 moving backwards away from the direction of the projectile. The weight of the slide 12, and the force caused by firing the projectile, results in a recoil force. The user of the handgun must absorb this force. The larger caliber round that the handgun fires, the larger the recoil force becomes.
In addition to generating recoil the handgun muzzle also tends to climb after the firing of a projectile. The recoil generates some rotation around the contact point between the users hand and the grip. This action causes the muzzle to climb. As the slide moves backwards, the handgun rotates around the contact point and cause the muzzle to climb. If another projectile is fired without first correcting for this muzzle climb the second projectile would be fired above the first. This is especially problematic in semi-automatic or automatic handguns where accuracy can be greatly reduced in rapid fire situations. Furthermore, the more powerful the round the more pronounced the recoil and muzzle climb. Muzzle climb makes reacquiring the sights into the target more difficult.
Existing methods to reduce recoil and muzzle climb include barrel porting, muzzle brakes or compressors. All of which have failed to adequately reduce recoil and muzzle climb to acceptable levels.
Therefore, a handgun having reduced recoil is desired.
Further, a handgun having reduced muzzle climb is desired.